Apocrypha (The X-Files)
Encyclopedia
"Apocrypha" is a 1996 episode of The X-Files
television series
. It was the sixteenth episode broadcast in the show's third season. Apocrypha continues the previous episode's storyline regarding the appearance of an alien black oil.
. He explains that he and other crew members were locked in with their captain, who was infected by the black oil
. After being knocked out from behind, the black oil leaves the captain's body and exits via a grate into the sea. It is revealed that Bill Mulder and the Smoking Man are two of the agents who are interviewing the crewman.
In the present, Fox Mulder
and Alex Krycek
arrive back in the United States, but are run off the road by another vehicle. The assailants attempt to apprehend Krycek, but are severely injured when he emits a flashing light. The Smoking Man sees their bodies and orders their destruction. Mulder, who was knocked unconscious in the crash, awakens in the hospital. Dana Scully
tells Mulder about Skinner
's condition, and says that an analysis of saliva has identified his shooter as the same person who killed Melissa.
The Syndicate meets to discuss the events surrounding the French salvage ship and realize that there has been an information leak. Skinner tells Scully that he recognizes his shooter as a man who was with Krycek when the digital tape was stolen from him (in the episode "Paper Clip
"). Mulder believes that the oil found on the diving suit and Gauthier is a medium used by an alien to transfer from body to body, and that Krycek is currently occupied by it.
Mulder and the Lone Gunmen use Krycek's key to recover the digital tape from a locker at an ice rink, but Mulder finds the case empty. Krycek returns the digital tape to the Cigarette Smoking Man in exchange for the location of the recovered U.F.O. The Syndicate is upset at the Cigarette Smoking Man for moving the U.F.O. to a new location and the fact that Skinner's shooting could expose them. Skinner's shooter is identified as a man named Luis Cardinal. By rubbing a pencil over the envelope containing the digital tape case, Mulder finds a phone number which connects him to the Syndicate's office. Mulder speaks to the Well Manicured Man who agrees to meet with him. The Well Manicured Man tells Mulder that the recovered U.F.O. was sunk during World War II and that a cover story of a sunken A-Bomb was used to cover up its attempted recovery. He reveals that anyone can be gotten to, causing Mulder to ask Scully to check on Skinner.
Scully heads to the hospital and finds that Skinner is being transported to another hospital in an ambulance. She travels along with him and when Luis Cardinal attempts to break in she tracks him down and arrests him. Cardinal tells her that Krycek has headed to an abandoned missile silo in North Dakota. The agents head there and go into one of the silos. They are soon captured by a group of armed soldiers led by the Cigarette Smoking Man and escorted away. Deep inside, Krycek sits atop the U.F.O., coughing out the black oil, which heads into the ship.
Skinner recovers and returns to work. Mulder sees Scully at Melissa's grave, telling her that Luis Cardinal was found dead in his cell. Meanwhile, Krycek is trapped within the silo, banging on the door in an attempt to be let out.
Director Kim Manners had directed a number of stand alone episodes thus far, but this was his first episode directed featuring the alien mythology.
This episode earned a neilson rating of 10.8, with an 18 share. It was viewed by 16.71 million people.
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
. It was the sixteenth episode broadcast in the show's third season. Apocrypha continues the previous episode's storyline regarding the appearance of an alien black oil.
Plot
In 1953, a burned crewman talks to three government agents about his experience on the submarine Zeus Faber, completing the story told in the previous episodePiper Maru
"Piper Maru" is a 1996 episode of The X-Files television series. It was the fifteenth episode broadcast in the show's third season. Piper Maru introduces the alien black oil and features the return of Alex Krycek.- Plot :...
. He explains that he and other crew members were locked in with their captain, who was infected by the black oil
Black Oil
Black Oil may refer to:* Black Oil , an alien virus in the X-Files episode The Colonist* a sunflower variety...
. After being knocked out from behind, the black oil leaves the captain's body and exits via a grate into the sea. It is revealed that Bill Mulder and the Smoking Man are two of the agents who are interviewing the crewman.
In the present, Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
and Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the long-running American science fiction show, The X-Files portrayed by Nicholas Lea. Initially introduced in the second season as a partner for main character Fox Mulder in the absence of his previous partner, Dana Scully, Krycek grew to become one of the...
arrive back in the United States, but are run off the road by another vehicle. The assailants attempt to apprehend Krycek, but are severely injured when he emits a flashing light. The Smoking Man sees their bodies and orders their destruction. Mulder, who was knocked unconscious in the crash, awakens in the hospital. Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
tells Mulder about Skinner
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character in the American FOX television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence...
's condition, and says that an analysis of saliva has identified his shooter as the same person who killed Melissa.
The Syndicate meets to discuss the events surrounding the French salvage ship and realize that there has been an information leak. Skinner tells Scully that he recognizes his shooter as a man who was with Krycek when the digital tape was stolen from him (in the episode "Paper Clip
Paper Clip
"Paper Clip" is a 1995 episode of The X-Files television series. It was the second episode broadcast in the show's third season. Paper Clip concludes the story regarding the agents' possession of a digital tape containing government secrets on extraterrestrials.- Plot :Continuing from the previous...
"). Mulder believes that the oil found on the diving suit and Gauthier is a medium used by an alien to transfer from body to body, and that Krycek is currently occupied by it.
Mulder and the Lone Gunmen use Krycek's key to recover the digital tape from a locker at an ice rink, but Mulder finds the case empty. Krycek returns the digital tape to the Cigarette Smoking Man in exchange for the location of the recovered U.F.O. The Syndicate is upset at the Cigarette Smoking Man for moving the U.F.O. to a new location and the fact that Skinner's shooting could expose them. Skinner's shooter is identified as a man named Luis Cardinal. By rubbing a pencil over the envelope containing the digital tape case, Mulder finds a phone number which connects him to the Syndicate's office. Mulder speaks to the Well Manicured Man who agrees to meet with him. The Well Manicured Man tells Mulder that the recovered U.F.O. was sunk during World War II and that a cover story of a sunken A-Bomb was used to cover up its attempted recovery. He reveals that anyone can be gotten to, causing Mulder to ask Scully to check on Skinner.
Scully heads to the hospital and finds that Skinner is being transported to another hospital in an ambulance. She travels along with him and when Luis Cardinal attempts to break in she tracks him down and arrests him. Cardinal tells her that Krycek has headed to an abandoned missile silo in North Dakota. The agents head there and go into one of the silos. They are soon captured by a group of armed soldiers led by the Cigarette Smoking Man and escorted away. Deep inside, Krycek sits atop the U.F.O., coughing out the black oil, which heads into the ship.
Skinner recovers and returns to work. Mulder sees Scully at Melissa's grave, telling her that Luis Cardinal was found dead in his cell. Meanwhile, Krycek is trapped within the silo, banging on the door in an attempt to be let out.
Production
Nicholas Lea was fitted with a mask with tubes for the scene where the alien black oil leaves his body. Lea said filming the scene was horrible, and the scene ended up having to be filmed again a few days later. The similar scene from the start of the episode with the submarine captain was accomplished with a dummy head. The black oil effect over people's eyes was accomplished by inserting the footage digitally in post production.Director Kim Manners had directed a number of stand alone episodes thus far, but this was his first episode directed featuring the alien mythology.
Reception
Co-writer Frank Spotnitz said of the episode "I actually think you didn't learn a lot more about the conspiracy in these two episodes, but emotionally, I think they were really good episodes."This episode earned a neilson rating of 10.8, with an 18 share. It was viewed by 16.71 million people.